Bata sa Floor

Translation:

Cathy: Hey.. why is there a kid in here???

Guard: hey kid! you're not allowed to play inside the floor! Come here outside!

Komikon Awards

I was really surprised when I saw this on my mail! Callwork was nominated for the Komikon Awards this year!!!

"CONGRATULATIONS!!! You and your works are nominated in the upcoming KOMIKON AWARDS 2009.Nominations were held last July 01 - 15, 2009. You were nominated for the following categories:

For Best Comic Strip Compilation:
Callworks by Hazel Manzano (http://callworkcomics.blogspot.com/)

For Best Cartoonist:
Hazel Manzano (Callworks, The Manila Bulletin)

Attached to this email is a "KOMIKON AWARD Nominee" logo that you could post in your site or attach to your artwork.Voting period will be from August 10 – September 20, 2009. The official list of nominees and voting procedures will be announced anytime next week. Visit http://komikon.deviantart.com or http://komikon.blogspot.com for updates. Winners will be announced at the 5th Phiippine Annual Komiks Convention (KOMIKON) in October.


Good Luck!
KOMIKON Committee

Guard Evasions

I recieved a comic last Friday from a call center agent named Raynier James Eusebio from Teletech Bacoor. It is funny! Thanks Raynier! Go on and read his experiences:

Shift Bid

Translation:
Ken: What is Clover doing? Is he praying for my death?
Sarah: He's praying 'coz the shift bid is near!

What's next after the call center?

I decided to write down my thoughts about people who have been telling me the same thing over and over for the past years - resignation in the call center. I will not deny this but it also crossed my mind a few times. The number one answer I get is they wanted to have their own business. Okay I said, what business are you looking into? Most of them would give me a shrug, some would say a food cart and majority a uhm... computer shop. Of course I cannot tell you which one would do well or not. It is your choice. It's about your passion. Do you still think a computer cafe will still earn in this time and age? Get real. Except maybe if your shop is located in Philcoa or UP Shopping Center etc. So maybe, it is still location. Same applies with food cart. Are you willing to cook by yourself just in case you were short of people? Are you willing to work including weekends? Even during your sleep?If you do then go ahead with your food business.
The second answer I get is that they wanted a day time job but sadly the pay isn't that high as what they were getting in a call center. Is money everything or time or do yo value your night sleep more than anything else? If ever you take the daytime job, will it be close to your goal? If it does, then it doesn't matter if it will take you 10 years before you get promoted in your new job. It is all about your dream.
Third answer is freelance. Okay. There are a lot of freelance job around here. You just need to take risk. Maybe at first you will be anxious 'coz the money you are getting is not comparable to what you have been earning. First you need to fix your portfolio. Have you written enough stories? Do you have sample articles? You also need to know whom to write in publishing or people in ad agencies or even in online magazines. Know what the market needs.
Whatever it is that you wanted, just do it. There are other jobs out there for you. You don't need to "study again" like the most alibis I get from people resigning. Stick to what you believe. Do that dream job you've always wanted. Open that business but be ready for the challenges because it won't be as easy as being a call center agent. Not even close to being a call center manager. Then, good night sleep is yours. Hopefully, for me too.. soon.

Front Act : New TV show!

Watch my friend, Stanley, this Sunday, July 19 on TV 5. 5:30 in the afternoon. Stanley is the creator of Chopsticks comic strips in Manila Bulletin. Good luck guys!

Avoiding telemarketers

Translation:
Clover: No no no! This is not a telemarketing call!!! Hello? Hello?
Rhea: Hey Clover! The customer got scared 'coz you sounded like a telemarketer!
Clover: I just really hyper with my opening and besides, I'm not like you guys who take calls like dead people.
Rhea: well at least customers don't get scared away...

Ang Maskot, Bless Our Trip comics short review

Yesterday, luck was on my side. I was able to go to Comic Odyssey in Galeria (which is rare since I live down the south). Bought DC's Enigma 1-8, Action Comics, Dark Days, Ang Maskot, Bless Our Trip and some other random comics.

Bless Our Trip by Edwin Ybabao Estokio is a local indie comics which I enjoyed reading mainly because the story was written well. The art was drawn neatly and was able to show the storytelling effectively. It show cases different story happening in one story plot... about the magnanakaw, puta, binata, probinsyano, etc. I'm really looking forward to another book by Edwin.

Ang Maskot by Macoy is a story about a man who works as a maskot in a fast food chain. How he hates his job wearing the 'hot' costume while dancing in front of the kids. The art was different from others maybe because it was done digitally from start to finish. Honestly, it was really an awsome art. Very much. Simple is the best according to Shinkaide heheh. This is another artist that I will be looking for more comic releases.

Hello Kitty

Indian BPO in Philippines

When I started working in a call center back in 2002, almost all BPO companies are American companies. Bosses and Clients are Americans. Some will even send you to America. I was surprised the other day when I learned that HTMT is now Hinduja with their ad both Filipino and Indian shaking hands. The last time was People Support changing name to Aegis. ACS partnered with an Indian company called WNS. I am currently working for an Indian company. To start with, India pioneered the BPO industry. I'm not really sure though why they are expanding here in our country aside from the fact that some Americans would prefer Filipinos way of speaking.

Indians are smart. Actually, I am quite surprised with how they think and how they can come up with creative solutions. If you have read "Outliers" by Gladwell, it states that by nature, Westerns are smarter than Asians. Chinese children enjoy math and are good with it because of the language that they speak. (Short cut sound of numbers and interpretation makes their computation faster than english)

Anyway, I won't be surprised if in the future, we will be dominated by Indian companies.